Having read Goddess Born, the first book in Kari Edgren’s trilogy and enjoying it immensely, I knew I had to read A Grave Inheritance and I was not disappointed!  As with any sequel a review is a bit difficult without maybe giving away a spoiler from the first book so be forewarned before you go on if you do intend to read the series.  In A Grave Inheritance we continue Selah’s journey – this time to meet her love Henry in London.  A Grave Inheritance takes us back in time combining elements of magic and mythology giving the reader a truly captivating tale.

In A Grave Inheritance Selah comes to London to be with Henry but unfortunately it seems he is not hers alone.  She has to contend with his betrothed and even another goddess born.  Yet Henry assures her he only has eyes for her and of course Selah will do anything for Henry and their lives together.  Yet when Henry begins to question Selah’s use of her gifts she has to wonder if they do indeed have a future together.  He must accept her for who she is – a descendant of a goddess.  It doesn’t help that Henry’s father is not approving of their betrothal either especially since Henry is already promised to the king’s daughter.  And then there is Julian who is another descendant of Brigid’s.  He is showing a great deal of interest in Selah but can he be trusted.  As time goes on things really begin to heat up and Selah starts learning more and more about her family and her roots.  What she learns shakes the foundations of who she always thought she was and as a malevolent force takes control of the very things that mean the most to Selah she knows that she will have to fight it with everything she can.

Oh I know this review is a bit vague but I don’t want to talk about the story much except to say it was really good.  A Grave Inheritance is faster paced than the first one and really brings alive the sights and sounds of England.  I loved that we got to see more of the goddess born traits that Selah possesses really shine in this book.  It was also really interesting to see her family dynamics change drastically and I hope we learn more about that in the next book. I can’t help but mention the book cover as well.  I think it is absolutely gorgeous.  Last but not least this installment ended on a whoosie of a cliffhanger which I didn’t expect at all but it certainly makes me even more anxious to delve into the next book!

Recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction with elements of the paranormal.  I really enjoyed it and can’t wait for the final book!

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Source: Digital review copy provided by the tour company and publisher for an honest review. No compensation was received.

The Back Building is Julie Dewey’s newest book and yet another reason that I enjoy her books so much. They always bring to light some important time in history and also to the people that lived during this long ago time. In The Back Building Julie tackles mental illness and the unfortunate way it is looked upon both in the past and even now in the present and takes us through one family’s battle with mental illness both in the past and in the present.

Iona Mueller comes from a wealthy family and to the outside eye certainly seems to have it all. Yet her mother keeps a fairly tight leash on her wanting her to only be a proper young lady and that included restricting what she could eat, not talking to her, or punishing her for not doing chores properly. Iona dealt with this by ceaselessly counting the steps she took, cleaning, and talking to her friend Hetty who helped her through her days. Needless to say this behavior was not considered proper or normal and Iona’s parents decide to send her to the Willard Asylum to hopefully reform and get better.

Iona is only fifteen when she enters the Willard Asylum and it’s such a foreign environment for her. She doesn’t feel like she belongs there. She isn’t crazy like these people. Sure she counts but who does that hurt? When her new roommate Cat arrives things change drastically for Iona and she tries running away. This only makes matters worse and she’s transferred to a much more secure ward. There she is subjected to hydrotherapy, tranquilizers, and even worse, beatings. Yet there were even worse places she could be and one of those was the back building. She had to make sure never to be put there. With the help of James, a young man she meets, they put together a plan to ensure that this never happens to Iona.

Fast forward to the future and we meet Jenna, a young girl, who is a descendant of Iona’s. Jenna too is suffering from mental illness and finds her life spiraling more and more out of control. Jenna’s family decides to trace their roots back to Iona to try and understand if Jenna’s battle with mental illness is in any way connected to Iona’s so many years ago.

The Back Building is a fascinating story. There is such a stigma attached to mental illness and I don’t understand why. So many suffer with it whether in a functioning or destructive form. There is nothing wrong with those who suffer and they need only our understanding and care.  This novel brings to light that while our methods of treating mental illness have improved the stigma attached to it hasn’t all that much.   Highly recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction and a really good story!

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Source: Digital review copy provided by the tour company.  No compensation was received.

I pretty much love to read anything with Anne Boleyn in it but I was initially attracted to Wendy Dunn’s newest novel The Light in the Labyrinth because it is a Young Adult novel told from the perspective of Anne’s niece Katherine Carey. It’s always interesting to read about Anne Boleyn’s fall through a different set of eyes and this telling from a young girl who has not yet been jaded by the Court and it’s people had me captivated from the beginning.

Katherine, daughter of Anne Boleyn’s sister Mary, is fourteen years old and ready to learn the ways of court. She’s extremely excited to see her Aunt Nan (Anne Boleyn) who is the Queen of England although she’s terrified to meet the imposing King Henry. Now she has a place among Anne’s women and in that she learns that the exalted life she thought her Aunt had is in fact in much turmoil. As time passes Katherine is left to watch and care for her Aunt as she loses her precious place with the King along with her life. Once a young girl, Katherine is now a woman.

This is a fantastic story for any age. I thought it very well written and beautifully told through the innocence of Katherine. Katherine’s naivete does not last long at Court of course and it’s made so much worse by her being with her Aunt during her last days. Katherine is such a great avenue for telling this story. Seen through her eyes I felt her disappointments and grief and I’ll tell you I don’t often tear up reading historical fiction but I sure did with this one.

Young or old fans of historical fiction this is definitely one to add to your reading list. Highly recommended!

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Draw Date December 20/14

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review.  Giveaway copy provided by the publisher.  No compensation was received.